# Query fan-out in AI search: cover the decision, not every wording. - working worksheet

Reviewed alongside the Eli guide: https://hireeli.io/resources/query-fan-out-in-ai-search

## Decision to make

Understand query fan-out and plan topic coverage

Owner: ____________________
Review date: ____________________
Canonical page or destination: ____________________

## Buyer questions

- [ ] Does every AI platform use the same fan-out process?
- [ ] How many supporting pages should a topic have?
- [ ] Can one comprehensive page rank for many variants?

## Evidence-led work plan

### 1. What can a buying query expand into?

A request for the best platform can trigger questions about category definitions, features, pricing, implementation, integrations, security, reviews and alternatives.

Evidence or artifact: ____________________
Status: [ ] not started  [ ] working  [ ] verified  [ ] blocked

### 2. When should a separate page be created?

Create one when the audience, intent, facts and next action are meaningfully different.

Evidence or artifact: ____________________
Status: [ ] not started  [ ] working  [ ] verified  [ ] blocked

### 3. How does internal linking support retrieval?

Use descriptive anchor text from the hub to the supporting decision and back again.

Evidence or artifact: ____________________
Status: [ ] not started  [ ] working  [ ] verified  [ ] blocked

### 4. Map fan-out to evidence, not extra URLs

Start with one commercial question and write the adjacent checks an answer system may need to resolve it: category definition, ideal customer, feature fit, price, integration, limitation, alternative and proof.

Evidence or artifact: ____________________
Status: [ ] not started  [ ] working  [ ] verified  [ ] blocked

## Source ledger

- [ ] Google: AI features and your website: https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/ai-optimization-guide
- [ ] Google: crawlable links: https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/links-crawlable
- [ ] Google: spam policies for web search: https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies

## Measurement boundary

Baseline date and exact context: ____________________
7-day observation: ____________________
14-day observation: ____________________
30-day observation: ____________________
Known limitations: ____________________

Keep technical eligibility, citations, recommendations, visits, leads and revenue as separate evidence. This worksheet does not guarantee an external ranking or commercial result.